Hotline: Voice of the Naturalist
Date: 3/14/2017
Coverage: MD/DC/VA/DE/WV panhandle
Reports, comments, questions: voice@anshome.org
Compiler: Bob Hartman
Sponsor: Audubon Naturalist Society of the Central
Atlantic States (independent of NAS)
Transcriber: Steve Cordle
Please consider joining ANS, especially if you are a regular user of
the Voice (Individual $50; Family $65; Nature Steward $100; Audubon
Advocate $200). The membership number is 301-652-9188, option 12; the
address is 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815; and the web
site is http://www.AudubonNaturalist.org.
This is the Voice of the Naturalist, a service of the Audubon
Naturalist Society. This report covers the week starting Tuesday,
March 7, and was completed on Tuesday, March 14 at about 8:00 a.m.
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Information on noteworthy birds during this week is presented below in
taxonomic order, as set forth in the American Ornithologists' Union
Checklist for North and Middle American birds, as revised through the
57th Supplement (July 2016).
TOP BIRDS THIS WEEK: PINK-FOOTED GOOSE* in DE, SCISSOR-TAILED
=46LYCATCHER* and PAINTED BUNTING in MD, and EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH* in VA.
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OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST: TRUMPETER SWAN, CHUKAR, EARED GREBE, AMERICAN
WHITE PELICAN, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, GOLDEN EAGLE, SORA,
PECTORAL SANDPIPER, RAZORBILL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, LITTLE GULL, RUFOUS
HUMMINGBIRD, NORTHERN SHRIKE, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, and
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
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TOP BIRDS
The PINK-FOOTED GOOSE* continued in Sussex Co DE, around the
intersection of Fowler Beach and Cods Roads, with sightings on March 8
& 11.
The SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER* continued all week in Ocean City MD
(Worcester Co). Most sightings were at two ball fields near 3rd
Street, one on the ocean-side, the other on the sound side.
A PAINTED BUNTING has been seen regularly at a feeder in Aberdeen MD
(Harford Co).
Leesylvania SP, in Prince William Co VA, hosted a EUROPEAN GOLDFINCH*
March 11-13; all of the many sightings seem to have been around the
Visitors Center and the nearby picnic area. One observer noted that
the bird had no leg bands, so it might not be an escape.
OTHER BIRDS OF INTEREST
=46our probable TRUMPETER SWANs were reported March 13 at Schoolhouse
Pond in Upper Marlboro, Prince George's Co MD.
In Alexandria VA, along Portner Place, off Portner Rd, a CHUKAR was
sighted on March 7. Although it is undoubtedly an escape, it may be of
interest to those who haven't had a chance to see that species in the
western US.
On March 10, an EARED GREBE was spotted at Black Walnut Pk, Talbot Co
MD.
In addition to the AMERICAN WHITE PELICANs that now seem to be
resident at Blackwater NWR (Dorchester Co MD), the single bird
continued March 13 at Hart-Miller Island, Baltimore Co MD.
An early YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was present March 12 along Sligo
Creek in Montgomery Co MD, apparently around the White Oak area.
On March 13, Hart-Miller Island also hosted a Golden Eagle.
An early SORA was spotted at Swan Creek Wetland, Anne Arundel Co MD,
on March 9. Also early was a PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Hart-Miller Island
on March 13.
RAZORBILLs continued at Ocean City MD, with 1-2 seen March 7 & 9.
Reports of Black-headed Gull came from three Maryland locations: one
March 11 at North Point Pk, Baltimore Co; one March 12 along the
Susquehanna R at Lapidum; the third March 12 at Back River in eastern
Baltimore City. Also in MD, single LITTLE GULLs were seen: one March
10 at Lapidum, the other March 13 at Back River.
In St. Mary's Co MD, the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continued March 12 at
Wildewood Neighborhood Walk.
Also continuing was the NORTHERN SHRIKE, on March 11 at Sully
Woodlands, Fairfax Co VA.
Early NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWs were seen in MD: one March 9 at
Swan Creek Wetland, one March 10 at the Salisbury Landfill Naylor Mill
Rd pond (Wicomico Co), another on March 10 in Harford Co, around the
Clubhouse Rd pond.
The CLAY-COLORED SPARROW continued all week in Queen Anne's Co MD, at
the Big Water Farm (private).
This report was based on reports on the DE, MD, VA, and WV list
servers via the ABA Internet links, and on eBird records.
The Audubon Sanctuary Shop (301-652-3606, http://anshome.org/shop) is
an excellent source for guidebooks and many other nature-related
titles.
To report bird sightings, e-mail your report to voice@anshome.org.
Please post reports before midnight Monday, identify the county as
well as the state, and include your name and a Tuesday morning
contact, either e-mail or phone.
Thank you for your interest, and enjoy the birds.
*Of interest to the applicable records committee
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